William j



(No Model. V

1 W. J. TAIT.

B'ALUSTER. No. 278,200. Patented May 22, 1883.

UNITED STATES PAT T OFFICE;

WILLIAM J. TAIT, OF JERSEYfGITY, NEW JERSEY; I

BALUSTER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,200, dated May 22, 1883.

Applieation filed January 9, 1883. (No model.) i i To all whom it may concern Be it known that 'I, WILLIAM J. TAIT, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Balusters for Railings, of which .the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide certain new and useful improvements in balusters for stair and other railings, whereby the cost of making and fitting the balusters will be reduced, and the balusters will be held in place more securely.

Reference is to be had to the acccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a bottom perspective "iew of the lower end of a baluster of the usual construction. Fig. 2 is a bottom perspective view of one end of a step provided with dovetail mortises for receiving the dovetailed tenons of balusters of the usual construction. Fig. 3 is a bottom perspective view of one of my improved balusters. Fig. 4 is a bottom perspective view of one end of a step provided with circular segmental mortises for receiving the circular dovetailed tenons of my improved balusters. Fig. 5is a plan view of the under side of one end of a step on which one of my improved balusters is secured.

Heretofore it has been customary to turn balusters cylindrical at the lower end or leave them square, and to cut an annular groove into the said cylindrical part a short distance above the lower end of the same, to indicate how long the tenon is to be and insure an equal length of all balusters above the tenon i. 0., above the tops of the steps or base on which the balusters are secured. In this shape the balusters were delivered by the turner to the stair-builder who then formed the dovetailed square tenon A on the lower end of the baluster B. Square dovetailed mortises C were formed in the end of the step D or in any other base, and the tenons B were driven into the mortises 0, whereupon the projecting parts of the tenons were cut otf by means of a chisel or other implement flush with the end of the step. Then an end strip was nailed on the end of the stepto cover cated-cone tenon is formed on the balusters by the turner at the same time that the bolster is turned, thus obviating the forming of the tenon by the stair-builder, whereby much labor, time, and money is saved. The truncated-cone tenon A can be driven into a square or oblong dovetailmortise, (l; but preferably I provide segmental or circular dovetailmor tises O, which are bored into the steps D by means of a conical auger-bit applied on the bottom of the step. After the tenon A has been driven into either the mortise (J or G the part projecting beyond the end of the step is cut oil flush with the end of the step byineans of a chisel or other suitable implement, and then the end strip, E, is nailed on the end of the step. The flat side of the tenon A, which flat side is formed by cutting the tenon oil flush with the end of the step, is in contact with the inner side of the end strip, E, and thus the balust'er is prevented from turning. If the tenon A is driven into a square'or oblong mortise, the lower end of the cylindrical part of the balusters covers the triangular openings formed by the corners of the mortiseand the round sides of the tenon.

' My improved baluster can be fitted much more rapidly and more accurately in the mortises than the usual-square tenons, and thus the baluster is held better, and the cost ism uch less.

The above-described improved balusters can be used fo'rstair, office, and other railings.

I am aware that balusters have been constructed with cylindrical tenons which were glued in cylindrical mortises; but that I do not claim, as my improved balusters are not held in place by glue, but bythe dovetailed shape of the tenons, and glue, if used on my 2. The combination, with a stair step or dovetailed balusters, is only to give additional other base provided with dovetailed mortises, firmness. of a baluster having a circular dovetailed Having thus described my invention, what I tenon at its lower end, which tenon is held in I 5 5 claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters the mortise substantially as herein shown and Patent, is-- described, and for the purpose set forth.

1. A balustei constructed with a oncular .WILLIAM J. TAM" If dovetailed or inverted truncated-cone shaped tenon at its lower end, substantially as herein Witnesses:

10 shown and described, and for the purpose set OSCAR F. GUNZ, forth. I EDGAR TATE. 

